Would you walk?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by leadfoot80, Jul 31, 2013.

  1. leadfoot80

    leadfoot80 Light Load Member

    199
    34
    Feb 17, 2012
    S.E. WY
    0
    I know it's long. I apologize. Perhaps this should be in the 'Venting' thread? I'd sure like some experienced drivers opinions though.

    So, you've been out of the industry for a few years. You take a refresher course from your local TDS, and still no one will hire you. Nearly a year goes by when you respond to an ad for a driver needed in your area. You find out that it's an out of state company, looking to break open a new area. You will be the only driver there for the time being. They already have two trucks and two trailers waiting for you. Pay is decent -- 25% of what the truck makes, plus health insurance benefits. Plus, it's a guaranteed amount of $2k every 2 weeks, since they're just starting up and likely won't have that much business for a while.

    They fly you to their home office for a week of orientation. Everything seems great, the people (management AND employees) are all very friendly and have nothing bad to say about the company at all, none of the equipment is used, but it's all sound. They fly you home. Then you see the equipment there. "Rode hard and put away wet," as the saying goes. The first week, one truck has to be taken to the shop. Where it sits for two weeks. Then a trailer. Then the other truck. And so on it goes. You're talking to your manager nearly every day, letting him know everything that is wrong with the equipment. For two months. Then one truck goes completely down. The employees at the place you haul exclusively out of makes jokes about their yard (where you park your trucks) being your boneyard. They ask if you'll be able to take a load the next day, "or will your truck be back in the shop?" You tell your manager this, and he says they're working on finding you a different truck. For four months, you tell them everything going wrong, and they tell you they're looking. You're in the shop literally every week with one piece of equipment or another. All the management and employees at the shop know you by name by this point. Mechanics are giving you tips on which cliff to drive your truck off of, and how to make it look like an accident, while other drivers who know the situation are telling you they would have quit three weeks (or less) into the job.

    Finally, the last straw. You're on your way back from picking up a load, on a winding 2-lane highway, it's raining cats and dogs, and your drivers-side windshield wiper quits. A couple hours earlier, the lights on your trailer quit working. You talk to your manager, tell him you're done. He says give us 7-10 days and we'll have a new truck for you.

    Two and a half weeks later, you're told they've bought a truck and two trailers for you. It will be a couple more weeks before you actually get them because of paperwork, etc., but they're bought.

    It's now been just over 5 months of driving the same equipment (back and forth to the shop). Then you get pulled into the Port for a Level 1 Inspection. And you're put out of service for your trailer's self-adjusting brakes being out of adjustment. And it's your birthday.

    What would you do? Would you wait for the truck and trailers while continuing to drive the old equipment? Would you park your current truck/trailers and let them know you're not driving anymore until your 'new' equipment arrives? Or would you just walk?

    Thanks for taking the time,
    Leadfoot
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

    77,948
    185,422
    Aug 28, 2011
    Henderson, NV & Orient
    0
    I would walk! You're close to Denver where some very good jobs are with good equipment. System Transport, also K&B has a salaried drivers job that pays somewhere around $950.00 a week as long as you don't turn down a load. Plenty of other companies there also.
     
    leadfoot80 Thanks this.
  4. coastie

    coastie Road Train Member

    Be looking for another job and if one pops up Park and walk away
     
  5. chalupa

    chalupa Road Train Member

    3,757
    1,643
    Jul 22, 2010
    Houston,Texas
    0
    Yeah, their not gonna change........I'd find a new home.
     
  6. Redbone311

    Redbone311 Light Load Member

    95
    57
    May 4, 2013
    CT
    0
    Don't walk until you get another job. Your getting paid $1,000 a week. So what if the truck is in the shop all the time. It certainly could be better, but then again there are plenty of other drivers not making that much and have it just as bad. Or have no job. And by your own story you went almost a year with no job. Your getting paid and eating with a roof over your head.
     
    leadfoot80 Thanks this.
  7. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

    19,099
    133,565
    Apr 10, 2009
    Copied in Hell
    0
    hes getting a grand a week with a broken down truck?
     
  8. richieryan

    richieryan Medium Load Member

    623
    147
    Aug 3, 2011
    OKC,OK
    0
    If you are still drawing the same $1000/wk, with all those equipment issues, I'd put the truck out of service and let them deal with it. No reason to get points on your CSA score. If you like, I'd be glad to switch jobs with you,Sir. The burden is on them to provide safe equipment...
     
    leadfoot80 Thanks this.
  9. Numb

    Numb Crusty Curmudgeon

    4,347
    10,327
    Jan 30, 2012
    Charlotte, N.Carolina
    0
    if your getting paid and can put the truck in shop, no big deal.

    as long as they don't push you to drive unsafe equipment I'd stay.

    they just starting up and that can be hard for small companies.

    driven for some, but didn't get paid as you do.

    it can be a good thing being in on the ground floor of a start up. your a senior driver when it takes off.
     
    leadfoot80 and tinytim Thank this.
  10. richieryan

    richieryan Medium Load Member

    623
    147
    Aug 3, 2011
    OKC,OK
    0
    Are we talking about Adams Industries?
     
  11. jbourque

    jbourque Heavy Load Member

    924
    553
    Oct 25, 2012
    south english iowa
    0
    being put out of service for a brake adjustment is rather harsh, were there some other issues also? if they are out of state and you have two trucks and trailers were you asked to perform minor repairs on them, as long as there checks are cashing at bank why not stick it out, just be watchful the 1st time there is a problem in payroll. you can always find trucking jobs easy. lots of luck
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.